Key occasions
Half-time leisure. Seems each Elis and Tom had been Flu followers.
HALF TIME: Fluminense 0-1 Chelsea
Chelsea deserve their lead; they’ve been a lot the higher facet. And but Fluminense have had an effort cleared off the road, and a penalty overturned. So whereas Chelsea have one foot in Sunday’s remaining towards both PSG or Actual Madrid, that is removed from achieved and dusted. Extra quickly!
45 min +4: Cano spins Caicedo within the centre circle and is hauled again by the Chelsea man. Once more, no card. This referee is effectively laissez-faire. When play restarts, Ignacio tries to beat Sanchez from simply contained in the Chelsea half. Nope!
45 min +2: Neto’s nook is available in from the left. Tosin flicks on to Nkunku, who flaps a weak header huge proper. A very good probability.
45 min +1: Fernandez flicks Neto into acres of house down the left. However Neto hesitates a bit upon getting into the field, and a mix of Ignacio and Silva blocks the trail to aim. Neto is pressured to accept a nook he’ll take himself.
45 min: Guga whips a low cross in from the precise. Hercules traps, eight yards out, however can’t modify his physique to get a shot away, and Cucurella steals off with the ball. A detailed name for Chelsea there. 5 further first-half minutes arising.
43 min: A little bit of house for Pedro down the precise. However he’s offside. Ultimately the flag goes up. Everybody appears to be ready for the whistle to finish the primary half, as a result of naff all else is happening.
41 min: Neto picks the sprawling Guga’s pocket and sashays down the left with nice class, profitable a nook. Neto takes it himself, and Fabio claims it confidently.
39 min: That’s an enormous choice, and possibly the judgement that ought to have been made within the first occasion. However given the referee had made his on-field choice with nice certainty, it’s a wee bit shocking he’s overturned it, since you may at the very least make an affordable case for Chalobah’s arm being too removed from his torso. You’ll be able to see why Flu are fuming, however Chelsea received’t care, and nor ought to they. The baroque logic of VAR, there, in your leisure and pleasure.
Fluminense penalty overturned!
37 min: It’s determined Chalobah’s arm was in “a pure place” in any case! Chelsea have a good time, Flu frown, and play will restart with a drop ball. Chelsea clear it.
36 min: Nonetheless, the VAR ushers the referee over to the monitor. Was Chalobah attempting to attract his arm again into his physique? Perhaps this will probably be overturned in any case!
Penalty for Fluminense!
35 min: The cross is available in from the left. The ball hits Chalobah on his left hand. His arms hanging unfastened … however a wee bit away from his physique. Undecided this will probably be overturned … clear and apparent error, and all that … although you by no means know …
34 min: Arias and Guga mix cutely down the inside-right channel. Guga wins a nook off Palmer … although the ball got here again off the flying Flu wing-back. The set piece is just half cleared by Chelsea, and Arias crosses deep for Ignacio on the far publish. Pedro flicks a header clear, simply in time, however then concedes a free kick simply outdoors the field on the left, undoing all of his good defensive work. And from the free kick …
32 min: All a bit scrappy because the groups try and get again up to the mark.
30 min: Bevvies quaffed, play restarts.
28 min: Time for a cooling break. The swilling of chilly drinks, and damp towels atop the noggin.
26 min: Hercules one-twos with Cano down the inside-left channel, and bursts into the field. Sanchez hesitates then finally comes off his line however doesn’t make his presence felt. Hercules nutmegs the keeper and in direction of the unguarded web … just for the masking Cucurella to hook off the road simply in time! One other nanosecond or two and that ball was over and in. Great soccer all spherical (besides the goalkeeping).
24 min: Fernandez sprays a diagonal move in direction of Gusto on the precise. Gusto crosses however Nkunku can’t management on the sting of the field. The Brazilians clear their traces, however Flu are hanging on a bit right here.
22 min: Neto actually seems to be within the temper. Once more he tries to achieve a flick down the left flank, and is blocked pretty clearly by Guga. However the referee waves play on.
21 min: Neto causes hassle once more down the left. This time his cross isn’t blocked. Gusto, barging in from the precise, powers a header in direction of the underside proper. Fabio is fortunate he’s in precisely the precise spot, as a result of a bit bit both facet of the keeper, and that’s in. However Fabio gathers with secure arms. So near a quickfire one-two.
19 min: That’s a aim for João Pedro on his full debut for Chelsea. He doesn’t have a good time it, on account of getting performed for Fluminense initially of his profession. The truth is he’s nearly apologetic. What a begin to his Chelsea profession, although!
GOAL! Fluminense 0-1 Chelsea (Pedro 18)
Neto makes good down the left. His cross is half-cleared. The ball drops to Pedro, who takes a contact to the left of the D and curls an unstoppable shot into the highest proper. Fabio had no probability!
17 min: Fernandez curls it into the field, as a lot as he can from a reasonably central place. Tosin flicks a header huge left of the aim. He’s offside anyway. The Flu defence caught many of the Chelsea facet offside there.
16 min: Neto drops a shoulder and tries to tackle Hercules down the left. Hercules is to not be moved. However Chelsea come once more, this time by means of Nkunku down the inside-right channel, and is openly blocked by Santos. One other problem that might simply have been a yellow card, however is only a free kick barely proper of centre.
15 min: Chelsea could also be on high, however it’s the Fluminense followers who’re making essentially the most noise.
13 min: Tosin seems to be lengthy for that man Fernandez, who breaks away from the Flu again line down the left, however solely as a result of he’s offside. Chelsea on high now.
12 min: Caicedo robs Cano within the centre circle, and units Chelsea on a speedy assault. Nkunku crosses low from the precise. Fernandez, who hasn’t been afraid to get ahead throughout these early exchanges, tries to comb into the underside proper however his effort is blocked.
10 min: Palmer takes up a deep place on the precise earlier than whipping a beautiful ball into the mixer. Fabio elects to punch moderately than catch, below stress from Fernandez. He connects effectively, and offers with the state of affairs. That was a really harmful ball in from Palmer.
9 min: Now it’s Flu’s flip to check the referee’s persistence, Nonato protruding a cynical leg to journey an in-flight Neto. Once more, the official retains his playing cards in his pocket. Anticipate this recreation to get a bit tasty if each groups hold attempting it on like this.
7 min: Fernandez comes sliding in on Cano, studs exhibiting, practically scissoring his opponent. what, if this was a garden-variety fixture, or if we had been 60 minutes into the sport, Fernandez may have been in deep trouble there. Definitely a yellow, possibly a crimson. In all probability a type of oranges. As it’s, the referee makes do with a lecture. Fernadez wags his finger at Cano, which registers a full 11 on our patented Chutzpah-o-Meter™.
5 min: Rene diddles Nkunku with a stunning spin out on the left touchline, then Guga probes down the precise flank. Each of Flu’s wing-backs exhibiting promise early.
3 min: Rene makes his presence felt down the left and loops lengthy. Cano slices a wild effort miles left of goal. Rene tries to resurrect the transfer however Gusto offers with the state of affairs. Flu clearly attempting to hit Chelsea early, the tactic that did for Inter.
2 min: Chelsea pop it across the again for a bit. A low-key begin. Fluminense get irritated and Arias clanks into Cucurella from behind, simply to let him know he’s there.
An ostentatious none-more-USA cry of “Let’s get able to rumble!” after which – ding, ding, seconds out – Chelsea get the ball rolling for the primary spherical half. “Fifa and the Trump administration have introduced as we speak that His MAGAsty the King of Queens will probably be in attendance right here within the MetLife for Sunday’s remaining,” experiences Justin Kavanagh. “Given the mob that follows him round when he golfs (all the time winningly, as a result of, effectively, he’s their king), that ought to enhance the attendance degree to a considerably respectable degree. Signore Infantino will probably be glad.”
The groups come out, one after the other. Fluminense of their well-known maroon and inexperienced, Chelsea in a white effort that by all accounts has been designed to pay tribute to the well-known Fifties facet of Puskas, Hidegkuti, Kocsis, and so forth. (They’ve achieved this already, again in 1974, below orders from then-boss Dave Sexton.) We’ll be off in a minute!
Enzo Maresca speaks to DAZN. “We’re very glad to be right here … we have now yet one more step to achieve the ultimate … that’s the goal on this second …. Joao Pedro has high quality towards a low block … each time [Moisés Caicedo] is on the pitch we’re a greater crew … [Fluminense] have plenty of high quality and vitality … it will likely be for certain one other powerful recreation.”
PRE-MATCH POSTBAG: Fifa-Fuelled Fume particular!!! “If there was any query about whether or not this event has been packaged particularly for European consumption, then scheduling the semi-finals at 3pm native time on workdays ought to just about clear that up” – Joe Pearson (gratefully retired)
“Hello from MetLife. I had to surrender on public transit and share an Uber (which, even cut up 3 ways, was greater than any of us paid for a ticket) to the stadium as we speak. That is what you get when the tristate space’s premier venue caters to the suburbs the place automobiles reign. Anyway, I’ve lived right here for 17 years, I’m certain it’s going to be very straightforward for all of the out-of-towners to determine it out for subsequent 12 months’s World Cup! what does have ample (and straightforward) public transport? Fifa’s new offices at our Dear Leader™️’s tower in Midtown. No less than Infantino can get to work, if not a recreation” – Gerry, Queens NYC
The yellow-card state of affairs forward of the ultimate. There isn’t one. Fifa have wiped the slate clear after the quarters, so the one manner a participant will miss the ultimate ought to their crew get there may be in the event that they handle to get themselves despatched off as we speak. Your greatest behaviour, gents, please.
Chelsea make three adjustments to their beginning XI after the 2-1 quarter-final win over Palmeiras. Tosin Adarabioyo, Moises Caicedo and Joao Pedro, the latter making his first begin for his new membership, change the absent Levi Colwill, Liam Delap and Andrey Santos.
Fluminense make 4 adjustments following their 2-1 victory within the quarters over Al-Hilal. Guga, Renê, Hércules and Thiago Santos are available for Samuel Xavier and Gabriel Fuentes, who drop to the bench, and the absent Juan Freytes and Matheus Martinelli. Thiago Silva – who won this competition for Chelsea in 2021 – performs towards his previous buddies.
The groups
Fluminense: Fabio, Santos, Silva, Ignacio, Guga, Rene, Hercules, Nonato, Bernal, Cano, Arias.
Subs: Vitor Eudes, Manoel, Samuel Xavier, Fuentes, Ganso, Soteldo, Lima, Lezcano, Isaac, Everaldo, Keno, Canobbio, Serna, Lavega, Paulo Baya.
Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Cucurella, Chalobah, Adarabioyo, Fernandez, Pedro Neto, Caicedo, Palmer, Nkunku, Joao Pedro.
Subs: Slonina, Jorgensen, Penders, James, Sarr, Anselmino, Acheampong, Dewsbury-Corridor, Santos, Madueke, Jackson, Guiu, George.
Referee: Francois Letexier (France).
Preamble
Brazil’s golf equipment went into this competitors with a rattling sight extra enthusiasm than many of the lads from Europe. And now Fluminense, having already seen off the Champions League runners-up Internazionale and Actual Madrid-bothering Saudi outfit Al-Hilal, are two matches away from turning into the primary Brazilian crew to win this event since 2012 when Corinthians beat … of course they did … Chelsea. The Blues in the meantime have warmed to this new model of the Membership World Cup step-by-step, and now they’re simply two video games away from their second world title in 4 years and an eleventy-squillion pound jackpot. Which – yeah, yeah – might not sound fairly so romantic as Fluminense’s bid to win their first world title, putting a blow for his or her nation, their continent, their federation and the entire southern hemisphere. However with glory now inside touching distance, Chelsea and their followers are starting to dream too. Observe to enjoyment police: it’s allowed. Kick-off in East Rutherford, New Jersey is at 8pm UK time, 3pm native. It’s on!
